Delivering motivational interviewing early post stroke: standardisation of the intervention.

BACKGROUND: We applied Motivational Interviewing (MI) techniques, early after stroke, to facilitate psychological adjustment to life post-stroke. In our trial, MI-plus-usual-care increased the likelihood of normal mood at 3-months post-stroke, compared to usual-care alone. Whilst appropriate training, manuals, and supervision may increase adherence to core principles of this complex intervention, unintended variability in implementation inevitably remains. We aimed to explore the impact of variability on participant outcome. METHODS: Using our trial data (411 participants), we explored variation in MI delivery, examining: therapist characteristics (stroke care expertise/knowledge, psychology training); MI content (fidelity to MI techniques assessed with Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity code, describing therapist behaviours as MI-consistent, MI-neutral or MI-inconsistent); and MI dose (number/duration of sessions). RESULTS: The four MI therapists (two nurses/two psychologists) had varying expertise and MI delivery. Across therapists, mean average session duration ranged 29.5-47.8 min. The percentage of participants completing the per-protocol four sessions ranged 47%-74%. These variations were not related to participant outcome. There were uniformly high frequencies (>99%) of MI-consistent and MI-neutral interactions, and low frequencies (<1%) of MI-inconsistent interactions. CONCLUSIONS: Variation in therapist characteristics and MI dose did not affect participant outcome. These may have been tolerated due to high fidelity to MI principles.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONMotivational Interviewing (MI) can help reduce depression in stroke survivors when delivered early after stroke.The effectiveness of our MI intervention depends on the delivery of high quality MI; in particular, interactions with low levels of MI-inconsistency, and high global MI ratings, ideally delivered over more than one session, each lasting at least 30 minutes.Provided high quality MI is being delivered, the intervention can still have a beneficial effect on participant outcome, even with flexibility and variation in therapist characteristics, and duration and number of sessions, which may be inevitable in a clinical context.

Motivational interviewing for low mood and adjustment early after stroke: a feasibility randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Management of psychological adjustment and low mood after stroke can result in positive health outcomes. We have adapted a talk-based therapy, motivational interviewing (MI), and shown it to be potentially effective for managing low mood and supporting psychological adjustment post-stroke in a single-centre trial. In the current study, we aimed to explore the feasibility of delivering MI using clinical stroke team members, and using an attention control (AC), to inform the protocol for a future definitive trial. METHODS: This parallel two-arm feasibility trial took place in north-west England. Recruitment occurred between December 2012 and November 2013. Participants were stroke patients aged 18 years or over, who were medically stable, had no severe communication problems, and were residents of the hospital catchment. Randomisation was to MI or AC, and was conducted by a researcher not involved in recruitment using opaque sealed envelopes. The main outcome measures were descriptions of study feasibility (recruitment/retention rates, MI delivery by clinical staff, use of AC) and acceptability (through qualitative interviews and completion of study measures), and fidelity to MI and AC (through review of session audio-recordings). Information was also collected on participants' mood, quality of life, adjustment, and resource-use. RESULTS: Over 12 months, 461 patients were screened, 124 were screened eligible, and 49 were randomised: 23 to MI, 26 to AC. At 3 months, 13 MI and 18 AC participants completed the follow-up assessment (63% retention). This was less than expected based on our original trial. An AC was successfully implemented. Alternative approaches would be required to ensure the feasibility of clinical staff delivering MI. The study measures, MI, and AC interventions were considered acceptable, and there was good fidelity to the interventions. There were no adverse events related to study participation. CONCLUSIONS: It was possible to recruit and retain participants, train clinical staff to deliver MI, and implement an appropriate AC. Changes would be necessary to conduct a future multi-centre trial, including: assuming a recruitment rate lower than that in the current study; implementing more strategies to increase participant retention; and considering alternative clinical staff groups to undertake the delivery of MI and AC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN study ID: ISRCTN55624892. TRIAL FUNDING: Northern Stroke Research Fund.

Motivational Interviewing Post-Stroke: An Analysis of Stroke Survivors' Concerns and Adjustment.

Our earlier research demonstrated that participation in four sessions of motivational interviewing (MI) early post-stroke has a positive impact on stroke survivors' mood. However, the theoretical underpinnings of MI in supporting adjustment (rather than its traditional use in supporting behavior change) require clarification. This article describes a content analysis of MI transcripts for 10 participants in our previous study, to identify the focus of discussions (patient "concerns") and potential effective components of our MI approach. Patients' post-stroke concerns were shown in 16 categories, including frustration, family impact, and getting well. There was a pattern of change discourse across sessions: "Sustain talk" (reasons for not changing) reduced from Session 1 onward, "change talk" (intent to change) increased then reduced, and "change expressed" (changes achieved) increased from Sessions 1 to 4. MI facilitates healthy adjustment post-stroke in some patients, in turn affecting mood, but clarification of how this effect is achieved requires further exploration.

Parallel-Serial Memoing: A Novel Approach to Analyzing Qualitative Data.

The mechanisms by which talking therapies exert their beneficial effects are largely unknown. In exploring the process of a talking therapy, motivational interviewing (MI), when used to treat and prevent low mood in stroke survivors, we developed, what we believe to be, a novel approach to analyzing transcripts. We illustrate the method using qualitative data from MI sessions with 10 stroke survivors. The approach, drawing on grounded theory, incorporated processes of parallel and serial memoing among a team of researchers to allow a process of validation. This enabled us to describe session content and to develop theoretical interpretations of what was occurring in and across MI sessions. We found that this process can be used to integrate different perspectives in theory building, allowing for a richer description and more robust theoretical interpretation. Others can use and adapt this approach to develop insights into their own inquiry.

The 12-month effects of early motivational interviewing after acute stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether motivational interviewing (MI), a patient-centered counseling technique, can benefit patients' mood and mortality poststroke. METHODS: This was a single-center, open, randomized, controlled trial. The setting was a hospital with a stroke unit. Four hundred eleven consecutive patients on the stroke register were >18 years old, not known to be moving out-of-area postdischarge, not receiving psychiatric or clinical psychology intervention, and were without severe cognitive or communication problems preventing participation in interviews. All patients received usual stroke care. Patients in the intervention group also received 4 individual, weekly sessions of MI. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with normal mood measured by the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (normal <5; low ≥5) using a mailed questionnaire at 12 months poststroke. RESULTS: At 12-month follow-up (including imputed data), 37.7% patients in the control group and 48.0% patients in the intervention group had normal mood. Twenty-five (12.8%) of 195 patients in the control group and 13 (6.5%) of 199 patients in the intervention group had died. A significant benefit of motivational interviewing over usual stroke care was found for mood (P=0.020; OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.08 to 2.55) and mortality (P=0.035; OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.06 to 4.38). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that motivational interviewing improves patients' mood and reduces mortality 12 months poststroke. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: www.controlled-trials.com. Unique identifier: ISRCTN54465472.

Engaging service users in the development of stroke services: an action research study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To develop local stroke services by involving, in a meaningful way, those affected by stroke in identifying and prioritising service development issues. BACKGROUND: Consideration should be given to including the views of service users in the evaluation and re-design of services. In stroke, the involvement of patients and carers in the development of services has generally been at a consultative level. There is a need to explore strategies to engage patients and carers more fully with the service development agenda. DESIGN: Action research. METHODS: Within the Reflection Phase of this action research study patients' and carers' experiences of stroke services were explored by semi-structured interviews and focus groups. In the Planning and Action Phases, externally facilitated workgroups comprising patients, carers and professionals used a synthesis of the data to identify a range of service development priorities, which informed the development of action plans. RESULTS: Information provision, preparation for transfer of care and the integration of social and leisure activities appear to be priorities for the development of stroke services from the perspective of patients and carers. These findings informed the work of four collaborative workgroups to lead developments in the stroke pathway as follows: stroke prevention and immediate care, early and continuing rehabilitation, transfer of care and long-term support and information provision. CONCLUSION: Stroke patients and carers played a key and meaningful part in the identification and prioritisation of service development issues. External facilitation ensured progress with service development and maintaining patient and carer participation. Several pragmatic recommendations for enhancing the local delivery of stroke services were made. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: With external facilitation it is possible for stroke service users to take a meaningful role in service developments that moves beyond consultation.

Motivational interviewing early after acute stroke: a randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether motivational interviewing, a patient-centered counseling technique, can benefit patients' mood 3 months after stroke. METHODS: A single-center, open, randomized, controlled trial was conducted at a single hospital with a stroke unit. Subjects consisted of 411 consecutive patients on the stroke register who were over 18 years of age and who did not have severe cognitive and communication problems that would prevent them from taking part in an interview; were not known to be moving out of the area after discharge; and were not already receiving psychiatric or clinical psychology intervention. All patients received usual stroke care. Patients in the intervention group received 4 individual, weekly sessions of motivational interviewing with a trained therapist in addition to usual stroke care. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with normal mood at 3 months poststroke measured by the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (normal, <5; low > or=5) using a mailed questionnaire. RESULTS: Eighty-one of 207 (39.1%) patients in the control group and 100 of 204 (49.0%) patients in the intervention group had normal mood at follow up. A significant benefit of motivational interviewing over usual stroke care (OR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.04 to 2.46, P=0.03) was found. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest motivational interviewing leads to an improvement in patients' mood 3 months after stroke.